Noricum

• Noricum was a Roman Province located in the territory of modern Austria and Slovenia.

1. History

• Pre-Roman history:
  • Between 1200-800 BCE, Noricum was occupied by the Hallstatt Culture (1200-475 BCE). Hallstadt is the village where the Bronze Age Celts lived and worked the Hallstatt Salt Mine.
  • Originally inhabited by Pannonian Tribes who later came under the control of Celtic Tribes, collectively known as the Norici, the country was used as a launch base for attacks on Roman Italy.
  • From 200 BCE, the Tribes combined into a State known as the  ‘Regnum Noricum’, whose capital was at Noreia.
  • It became a close trading ally of the Romans.
  • Noric steel for making Roman weapons was bought from a Roman Trading Colony below the Oppidum of Magdalensburg, as were Gold smelting furnaces.
• Acquisition by Rome:
  • 16 BCE Incorporated into the Roman Empire as a Province, but organised as a Kingdom, the ‘Regnum Noricum’ under its own Prince, who answered to an Imperial Procurator.
• Timeline of this Province:
• Under The Republic:
• After Augustus’ reconstituted the Republic into an Empire (27 BCE):
  • 54 CE By this time Noricum had become a Roman Province.
  • 180 CE Marcus Aurelius moved the Legio II Italica Pia into Noricum, based at Lauriacum (Enns),
• After Diocletian’s Reforms (297 CE)
  • Noricum Ripense (‘along the River’, meaning the Danube)
  • Noricum Mediterraneum (which was landlocked)
    • The dividing line between the two was the centre line along the eastern Alps.
• After the death of Theodosius (395 CE) and the final split into Eastern Empire and Western Empire:
• Famous Persons from this Province:
• Chief archeological Finds:
  • Hallein Salt Mine
  • Virunum
• Historic Battle Sites:
• Main Historical Sources for this Province:

2. Geography

• Capital City:
  • Virunum (Ruins near Maria Saal)
• Chief Cities:
  • St. Peter-in-Holz (Teurnia), Leibnitz (Flavia Solva), Celje (Celeia in Slovenia), Salzburg (Juvavum), Wals (Ovilava), Enns (Lauriacum)
• Location Today:
  • Austria and Slovenia
• Neighbouring Roman Provinces:
  • Pannonia Superior, Raetia, Venetia et Histria in Italia.
• Climate and Temperature Today:
  • Continental Climate influenced by the Pannonian Climate. Cold winters with hot and sunny Summers. Rainfall is frequent. The Fohn Wind is a warm wind in the valleys.
• Main Geographical features:
  • The eastern Alpine Range.
• Main Rivers:
  • R. Danube, R. Enns, R. Mur, R, Save. R. Savinja, R. Drau, R. Inn, R. Salzach
• Mountain Ranges:
  • The eastern Alps
• Islands:

3. Political Organisation

• Province Type:
  • Imperial Procuratorial
• Governor:
  • Procurator
• Tribes and Population:
  • Pannonians, Celts.
• Language:
  • Noric (Celtic language), Latin.

4. Military Organisation

• Legions:
  • Enns (Lauriacum)
    • Legio II Italica Pia (180-c.400 CE)
• Navy:
  • Enns (Lauriacum)
    • Classis Lauriacensis, part of the Classis Pannonica
• Defensive Works:
  • Danube Limes
    • A chain of Legionary Fortresses and intervening Forts along the south Bank of the Danube from Raetia to the Black Sea.
• Main Threats:
  • Invasions by the Germanic Tribes

5. Economy

• Chief Exports:
  • Noric Steel
    • After 16 BCE when Noricum became a Roman Province, Noric Steel became famous for making Weapons for the Roman Army. .
  • Noricum Gold, from Karth.
  • Salt from the Hallein Salt Mine near Salzburg
• Agriculture and Fishing:
• Manufacturing:
• Mines:
  • Iron
    • Two Iron ore Mountains, 43 miles (70km) apart:
    • Huttenburg in Carinthia and Eisenerz in Styria.
  • Gold
    • Gold mining District of Karth, 50 miles (80km) south of Vienna
  • Salt
    • Hallein Salt Mine
• Mints:

6. Transport

• Roads:
  • Roman Road to Italy (Amber Road)
    • Aquileia–Plocken Pass–Virunum–Carnuntum
  • Danube Military Road
    • Regensburg–Carnuntum–Black Sea
• Waterways:
  • R. Danube, R. Enns, R. Mur, R, Save. R. Savinja, R. Drau, R. Inn, R. Salzach
• Ports:
  • All settlements in Noricum were built on the Rivers.
• Ancient Trade Routes:
  • The Amber Road
    • From the Baltic via Noricum and the Plocken Pass into Italy.
• Number of Days taken to travel from this Province to Rome:

7. Relationship with Rome

• Part of the fortified Danube Frontier with the Germanic Tribes and liable to Invasion.
• An important source of Gold, Salt, Amber from the Baltic and weapons for the Roman Army.

8. History of Christianity in this Province

• St. Florian, the Commander of the Army in Noricum, was executed under the Diocletianic Persecution in c. 304 CE.

9. Roman Authors describing this Province

Noricum (capital Virunum)